Chemistry

What Can I Do With This Discipline/Major?

For helpful resources on your career opportunities, explore the “What Can I Do with This Major” guides for chemistry, environmental studies / science and medicine.

Some common career titles for this major include: 

  • Agriculture and Food Science Technicians
  • Agricultural and Food Scientists
  • Biochemist and Biophysicists
  • Chemical Technician
  • Chemists and Material Scientists
  • Dietitian and Nutritionist
  • Environmental Scientist and Specialist
  • Forensic Scientist Technicians
  • Geoscientists
  • High School Teacher
  • Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
  • Post-Secondary Teacher
  • Quality Control Inspector
  • Technical Writer

Other Job Titles:

  • Agricultural Chemist
  • Cereal Chemist
  • Computational Chemist
  • Consumer Safety Officer
  • Food Chemist
  • Materials Chemist
  • Organic Chemist
  • Patent Agent
  • Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
  • Polymer Chemist
  • Soil Chemist
  • Toxicologist
  • Water Chemist

For additional career information on duties, education and training, pay, and outlook for hundreds of occupations, visit the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Careers in Chemistry

Internships and Research Opportunities

Getting applied experience in your field is critical. The following resources will allow you to learn more about your department’s opportunities and process, as well introduce you to other major-specific internship posting resources. For information and support finding and receiving an internship in your major, contact your department's internship coordinator.

Careers and Jobs

The resources below are a starting point for your job search. In addition to making use of the Internet to do research, we encourage you to talk to people in the fields you are interested in (don’t forget to use TU’s Tiger Mentor Network) to learn more about specific opportunities and organizations.

Sample Resumes and Interview Questions

For major specific resume samples, we encourage you to look at the Sample Chemistry Resume (PDF) in addition to our Sample Resume Database.

Below are sample interview questions for your field. In preparing for the interview, you’ll also want to review common interview questions (PDF) asked of all majors, thoroughly research the organization, dress professionally, and visit the interview skills section of the Career Center’s website. You can practice your interview skills online via Big Interview or schedule a mock interview with a Career Center staff member.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

  • Can you describe a point in time where your work as a chemist was criticized? How did you handle the situation?
  • What are the advantages of soapy detergents over soapless detergents?
  • Which is the best conductor of electricity? Why?
  • Out of all the different areas of science, what was your inspiration to pursue chemistry?
  • Please give a brief explanation of the following laws in chemistry: Kick’s Law, Rittinger’s Law, Bond’s Law.
  • What experiences have you had related to research?
  • Aside from classroom texts and experience, what journals or professional articles are you currently reading for professional development?
  • Give me an example of when you used good judgment and logic to solve a problem.
  • There are plenty of times where you will be on a strict deadline to submit proposals for grant money or to complete an experiment. How would you describe your time management and organization skills?
  • Please discuss your familiarity with lab techniques/instrumentation from lab courses or internships (i.e., aseptic technique, cell culture, running of various types of assays, PCR, gel electrophoresis, Western Blotting, DNA/RNA extraction or purification, HPLC, GC/MS, UV-Vis).
  • What was your favorite class? Least favorite?
  • What kind of first impression do you think you make?
  • What would you do if you did not get into medicine/dentistry/pharmacy school?
  • How would your professor/friend/boss describe you?
  • What do you think about managed care?
  • Do you see a difference between disease and illness?
  • Why medicine/dentistry/pharmacy?
  • What qualities make a good doctor/dentist/pharmacist?
  • Who is your role model?
  • What is the number one problem in the world today?
  • Tell us about a time you dealt with criticism. How did you deal with it?
  • What do you dislike about the field of medicine/dentistry/pharmacy?
  • Are you a leader or a follower?
  • Tell us what you know about current ethical issues/trends in the field (importing drugs, affordability, selling meds with alcohol and tobacco, etc.).
  • What are your short-term and long-term goals?
  • Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
  • Do you think your test scores would reflect your true abilities?
  • What do you think will be the most challenging aspect of medical/dental/pharmacy school?
  • If you had all the resources in the world to do whatever you wanted for one weekend, what would you do?
  • Describe the research you have done in your field.
  • Tell us what you know about the Affordable Care Act.
  • In your opinion, what is the state of medical care in the U.S.? What’s the number one problem? What would you do to fix it?
  • How do you handle stress/relax?
  • Is there anything related to the field of medicine/dentistry/pharmacy you feel you would not be good at?
  • Tell me about a time you dealt with criticism? How did you deal with it?
  • Why our school?
  • Why should we admit you?
  • If you were a drug, what would it be?
  • Are you comfortable coming into contact with people with infectious diseases?
  • Would you fulfill a prescription for drugs used for euthanasia?
  • If a friend of yours was dating a person you knew to be HIV positive (perhaps based on the prescriptions he/she was taking), what would you do?
  • What place does religion have in healthcare?
  • If you found out that a mother of a child asthma patient was smoking around the child, what would you do?
  • Pharmacists are the only healthcare professionals who earn a living selling a product. What do you think about that?

Professional Associations

Professional associations offer many benefits to students, often including reduced-price membership, mentorship programs, “careers in…” information, job and internship listings, field-related conferences and publications, and much more. Be sure to check out sections on the associations’ websites related to students, education, careers, etc.

Related TU Student Organizations

 

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